


Baby, You've Got What It Takes

by drarryisgreen



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-07
Updated: 2013-05-07
Packaged: 2017-12-10 15:28:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/787585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drarryisgreen/pseuds/drarryisgreen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for bottom!Draco adaptations fest on Live Journal. Adapted from: Two Weeks' Notice.  Harry is a spoiled brat with a powerful position in the Ministry. He’s been hired to ‘take care’ of Draco and the bad publicity his charitable foundation is causing for the bigwigs in the Ministry. Harry hires Draco to be his secretary as an incentive to become an inside man in the Ministry; however, he ends up using him a lot more as a Personal Assistant than a Ministry employee. Draco eventually gets frustrated and quits, and Harry gathers that he needs Draco more than he led on. (The title of the fic is from the song on the Two Weeks' Notice soundtrack)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Baby, You've Got What It Takes

Disclaimer: I don't know Harry Potter or any characters, everything belongs to J.K. Rowling and Co.

**Baby, You’ve Got What It Takes**

* * *

Harry woke up to the sound of the Beatles playing through his small alarm clock in the corner of the room. He had had an interesting living arrangement ever since Ginny had claimed his home at number 12, Grimmauld Place in the divorce. ‘For the sake of the children,’ she had said. Harry never argued with her whenever she brought the children up in conversation because though his marriage didn’t succeed, he never wanted his children to get hurt. He knew that Ginny was constantly manipulating him by using the children, but he didn’t dispute her; she may have been a terrible wife, but he knew she was a wonderful mother.

Harry also knew that he couldn’t blame Ginny for all the terrible fights in their marriage because they had been unhappy for so long. They had been unhappy because Harry had stopped wanting to have sex with his wife and desired to be with men, constantly. Though he waited for his final divorce papers to be signed before shagging a man, all twelve hours of it, he waited nonetheless.

Now for six months, blokes came in and out of Harry’s “new home” more than anyone would have cared to know. The only people who still seemed interested in his sex life were his ex-wife and his best friend, Hermione Granger. Both, for equally different reasons. Even the _Prophet_ had given up trying to juice up the _sexcapades_ of the Head Auror at the Ministry of Magic, the former Saviour, the Boy Who Lived Twice, only to become a sexaholic.

As per his routine, at 6 am, Harry heard the alarm and walked across the room to shut it off. He had found himself next to a bloke he probably met the night before at the pub. Harry didn’t risk using magic in the morning, especially when the twink next to him was a Muggle.

“What time is it?” the unnamed stranger asked.

“6 o’clock,” Harry answered flatly.

“In the morning?”

“Yes, dear,” he answered sarcastically.

“Have you got a job or something?”

“Or something.” Harry looked at the thin bloke with strawberry blond hair and twisted his face, attempting really hard to remember his name. “Listen…”

“Stuart.”

“Stuart, right. So, I’ve got a job, and it’s a very important one. So why don’t you get dressed? If you need a taxi or something to get home, I can give you some money for it.”

“You’re tossing me out? Just like that.”

“I’d hardly call it tossing you out. It’s the morning, I let you stay the night and I am offering you taxi fare,” Harry protested.

“Right,” Stuart spoke as he got up angrily and began dressing himself. “I should have known. The rich types, they always think they’re doing you a favour.”

Harry didn’t answer. It wasn’t the first time he had heard something like this. The night before when everyone has had a few too many, it all sounded fun and adventurous to have a shag and not care. _They all start to care in the morning_ , he thought to himself as Stuart finished getting dressed.

“So, I’ll see you.” Harry walked the young bloke to the door as he was about to leave.

“Don’t bother; you didn’t even remember my name.” The young man turned and stormed off. Harry was sure he heard the bloke mutter ‘Wanker’ on his way down the hall.

_That’s a shame, he was actually quite enjoyable._

Harry stumbled to his kitchen and turned on the coffee pot as he heard a tap on the window. The owl was here with his copy of the _Daily Prophet_. Harry sat on his sofa and began to sip on his black coffee and read the headlines of the day. Unfortunately, the coffee didn’t make it to his mouth as the cup spilled on his lap and Harry screamed in pain. No one was there to hear him. The _Prophet_ displayed a picture of Draco Malfoy standing in front of a what looked like an abandoned building, magically bound with other wizards in a rope, protesting.

Harry quickly grabbed his wand and spelled the burn off his lap, and then cast a cooling charm to soothe his groin where the hot coffee had spilled. _Bloody Malfoy, the prat can still manage to ruin my morning and I haven’t even seen him in years._ After refilling his cup and carefully taking in a few sips, Harry began to read the article fully.

* * *

_Former Death Eater Unites with Local Wizarding Activists to Salvage an Abandoned Building._

_Draco Malfoy, 27, a former Death Eater and son of Lucius Malfoy, also a former Death Eater, is back in the news and this time for a cause quite different. Draco Malfoy in the past has spearheaded many charitable causes to salvage abandoned buildings around wizarding London in pursuit of converting them to shelters for homeless wizarding families and the elderly._

_After the second wizarding war, many wizarding families that fought for the light side had lost many relatives and their homes; many children were orphaned. Although the Ministry had provided temporary shelter for all families after the war was over, it seems that many families are still stranded without a proper home to call their own even after a decade. Draco Malfoy and his mother had started a movement to help lost families find homes five years ago when they sold Malfoy Manor and bought a smaller dwelling. Their charitable organisation has received quite an honourable recognition even though, Lucius Malfoy, the head of the household was sentenced to Azkaban for ten years for supporting the Dark Lord. He is scheduled to be released sometime next year._

_There are many families that received proper homes thanks to the ‘Malfoy Foundation’ and it seems that the Malfoys claim that their work is yet to be finished. They want to help fund a free hospital, similar to St Mungo’s to make medical care immediately available for all individuals regardless of their prior criminal record. Narcissa Malfoy had fallen quite ill a few years ago and has claimed that if it weren’t for the financial wealth they have of their own, they wouldn’t have been able to receive the medical care they could because many Healers at St Mungo’s refused to help her due to her family’s past. Draco and Narcissa Malfoy claim that they wish to help wizards who have fallen ill and are too afraid to face scrutiny by the wizarding community for their regrettable past decisions._

_‘Healthcare should be free and available to all people, regardless of their lack of wealth, or past family backgrounds. To deny proper care for a wizard is sadistic and absolutely inhumane. How can the Ministry allow this type of discrimination to happen when they claim that the correct side has won the war? Where is the Saviour hiding now?’ Draco Malfoy was quite articulate about his criticism of the Ministry and their unwillingness to help the deprived. Many activists have been arrested at these riots simply because they refuse to move in order to avoid destruction of abandoned buildings that the rioters claim can be donated to proper charitable foundations._

_Editor’s Note: It should also be acknowledged that we have yet to hear any word from the Ministry itself or their Head Auror who authorises these arrests, Mr Harry James Potter, also the ‘Saviour’ referenced in the quote above_.

* * *

“I don’t believe it.” Harry threw the paper at Ron’s desk when he reached the office angry at the article that made him look like a selfish vindicator.

“What are you going to do?” Ron asked.

“What can I do?” Harry sighed. “I am going to have to go down there and have a conversation with Malfoy. He has to understand that I do not own these buildings; whatever happens to them, whatever the Ministry decides, I can’t be held responsible for that. I cannot just go to the Minister of Magic and demand him to hand out random buildings to _appropriate charitable foundations_.” Harry’s tone was full of disdain.

“Don’t you think that these people deserve help?” Ron asked.

“Ron! Whose side are you on anyway? Of course I do. But, it’s not my decision to make; I am not the Saviour of all the lost and homeless people of the world. I did my part. I defeated Voldemort; now I am just living my life. Why is it still up to me to do everything? It has been ten years!”

“I know, mate, but you can’t keep ignoring it anymore. Unless you don’t mind reading about yourself like this in the paper continuously. The least you can do is set up a meeting or something,” Ron suggested.

“I suppose you’re right. I’ll talk with the Minister and see what I can do,” Harry answered as he was about to exit Ron’s office and head to his own. Ron called his name again.

“Harry, don’t forget you’ve got interviews later this afternoon for a new secretary. I can’t keep sharing my secretary with you. She’s already threatened to resign twice, with all the stress of having two supervisors!”

“Bollocks. I completely forgot. Okay, tell her I promise to find someone by the end of the week. Thanks, Ron.”

 _I don’t need this additional stress in my life right now,_ Harry thought to himself, as he headed to the Minister’s office. He wished that he had been nicer to the bloke Stuart from the night before; he could use a distraction right about now. Ever since his divorce, Harry was becoming quite proficient with finding distractions to avoid dealing with complications.

Harry arrived at the Minister’s office and discovered that Shacklebolt had been expecting him.

“Harry, I need you to get rid of this.” The Minister handed Harry the familiar article in the paper.

“Get rid of it, sir?” Harry asked.

“Yes, as you may have read in _the Prophet_ , your name is all over this along with the Ministry itself. We cannot use this kind of bad publicity at the moment,” Shacklebolt answered.

“Technically, sir, it was only mentioned once in the last line.” Harry corrected the Minister, attempting to fend off the problem away from him.

“I know that you’re not personally responsible for the activists getting arrested. You were on holiday and your substitute had given those orders; however, you are being blamed for this. _The Prophet_ is simply a small step. We have been receiving letters from everywhere; the wizarding public is outraged!”

“What exactly do you want me to do, sir?”

“Meet with Malfoy…” Shacklebolt began to speak and Harry immediately interrupted him.

“You’ve got to be joking. Anything else but that, sir.”

“Potter! This isn’t just about you. We need to make this bad publicity go away.”

“Then hire a publicist!” Harry retaliated.

“Harry, you are the Head Auror, the face of the second wizarding war, if you do not rectify this problem, then there is no hope in fixing the problem. This is your assignment as my Junior Assistant.” The Minister’s voice had calmed down a bit; he attempted to reason with Harry. “Listen, no one wants to suffer and look bad in this. The Malfoys have a lot of pull in the community now; they’ve been doing a lot of good. Since you were the one who spoke in their trials and saved them from going to Azkaban, it only seems fit that you are the one that bring peace to this matter as well. Just make the bad publicity go away. Make them believe that you’re willing to talk this through and work out some sort of an arrangement.”

“I am allowed to simply give them the building they require for their free hospital?” Harry asked.

“No. The free hospital cannot be built. The directors at St Mungo’s won’t allow it. They’ve got a lot of pull in the Ministry. We cannot simply let every rioter or activist have whatever they please.”

“But, I don’t understand, sir. What do you want me to do? Lie?” Harry asked.

“No, tell them that we’re working on it, and in the end, it’ll just not have worked out and we can fund a wing at St Mungo’s where they’ll provide free care for all members of the community.”

“But isn’t that the exact thing they don’t want?” Harry couldn’t understand why the Minister couldn’t recognise their plight.

“That is not something for you to worry about, Harry.”

Harry felt defeated and disgusted. He didn’t wish to deal with this problem in the first place, and now, Kingsley Shacklebolt was playing the same Ministry politics that Harry had witness whilst he was growing up during the war. As he began to leave Shacklebolt’s office, he turned to say one last thing to his superior. “I am sure Dumbledore would be proud, Minister.”

That night Harry went to his favourite pub to think and to drink. But above of all, he was looking for a quick shag. He came across Stuart, the bloke from the morning. He saw Stuart sitting at the other corner of the bar and he asked the bartender to buy him a Scotch on Harry’s tab. “Tell him it’s a peace offering from the prick from this morning.” The bartender smiled and adhered to Harry’s wishes. An hour later Stuart was providing the distraction and the release Harry’s cock had been looking for all day.

The next morning, the routine was the same. Harry’s alarm was blaringly loud in the other corner of the room; it woke Stuart up and Stuart left offended, cursing himself and Harry.

After Harry prepared his coffee, he readied himself for a trip to the headquarters of the ‘Malfoy Foundation’ to have a ‘civilised’ conversation with Draco Malfoy. A man he hadn’t come face to face with in nearly ten years.

“Is Draco Malfoy here?” Harry asked the front desk receptionist at the Foundation.

“I am sorry Mr Malfoy is currently chained and cannot come to the office,” the receptionist replied.

“Currently chained?”

“Yes, he’s at the wizarding City of Westminster with a few protestors; they’ve developed ‘rioting magic spells’ where they’ve chained themselves against a railing of a building that is going to be sold to open a luxurious hotel whilst our team is fighting for that building to be bought by the Foundation for the free clinic.”

“Fantastic,” replied Harry. “Can you give me the exact address?”

“What are you going to do?” The receptionist spoke as she raised her right eyebrow.

 _Snarky and full of attitude, I can tell who hired her,_ Harry thought to himself before responding.

“I am going to stop them from getting arrested,” Harry replied.

“Excellent.” The receptionist smiled and wrote down an address for Harry on a piece of parchment. “The demolition begins in a half hour, so you better hurry.”

Harry immediately Apparated to the address provided and couldn’t believe his eyes. Draco along with three or four other wizards and witches were literally chained to a metal railing outside a collapsing building. A few ‘construction wizards’ had their wands pointed towards the activists and were threatening to condemn the building whilst they were still attached.

Harry ran up to the group and yelled at the construction wizards to stop.

“Potter! What are you doing here?” Draco yelled out, wide eyed, though a look of ease was flashed across his face. It was as though Draco wasn’t afraid at all of being crushed by the building that when it collapsed would disintegrate right at him.

“You called for a Saviour,” Harry yelled back, “so they sent me.”

The other wizards looked horrified as Draco looked quite serene. One of the wizards turned to Draco and spoke, “Draco, I think they’re serious. They’re not going to stop. As much as I support the project, I truly do not wish to die today.”

“Coward!” Draco screamed back.

Slowly, each person that was chained with Draco began to unchain him/herself, yet Draco refused to change his ground.

“Malfoy, this is insane. They’re going to kill you.”

“I am not letting them take this building,” Draco screamed back. “I had put in an order to purchase this building for the foundation months before they sold it to the Notts to open another luxury hotel. It belongs to the foundation; it belongs to me.”

“Draco, there will be other buildings!” One of the activists screamed back to Draco; she was terrified for his life.

“Listen to her, Malfoy, think of your mother! You don’t want her to suffer for losing her son, do you?” Harry yelled. _Wow, I just took a page from the Ginny Weasley book of manipulation_ , Harry thought to himself.

Draco sighed. Harry’s comment had worked. He flicked his wand and unchained himself from the railing and walked away from the building to join his group of friends. As the construction wizards swished their wands, the building Draco had been protecting came crashing down. _It was quite a devastating sight_ , Harry thought. He turned to look at Draco and saw a tear trickle down from his left eye. For a moment, Harry had forgotten he was looking at his former nemesis and an uncharacteristic thought came across his mind. _Has Malfoy always been this beautiful_?

Draco saw Harry staring at him and wiped his tear and glared back. _There’s the look I am used to_.

“What are you doing here, Potter? Come to gloat?”

“No, Malfoy. I’ve been sent…I mean, I’ve come to make peace. I am here to help,” Harry answered.

“Right,” Draco answered and began to walk away.

“No, Draco, wait. I am here to listen I truly am. I am here on behalf of the Ministry and we support your cause. Trust me.”

Draco paused and looked up and down at Harry as though he was assessing the situation. “Fine, let’s walk.” Draco began to walk away from the commotion and took a turn on a quiet street and stopped in front of a café. His friends, the other protestors, had left to return to their jobs. Harry thought it bizarre that witches and wizards simply came out in the middle of their day to protest for a cause.

At the café, Harry tried to explain to Draco about what the Minster had said. Harry didn’t divulge all the information, but he talked of a peace offering, of supporting the ‘Malfoy Foundation’, and that no one wants any bad publicity. Draco snorted at the last comment.

“You’ve changed so much,” Harry added. “You’re so different from what I remember. I never thought the Draco Malfoy I knew at Hogwarts would ever chain himself to a building to give poor people free healthcare. The Draco Malfoy I knew would probably spit at people like that.”

Draco smiled. A smile Harry wasn’t used to. It was genuine and indicated humility.

“That Draco Malfoy died in the Room of Requirement ten years ago.”

Harry was taken aback by Draco’s comment, his honesty.

“I was taught wrong by my father, and if I hadn’t changed my ways, I’d probably be rotting in Azkaban with him, not that I didn’t deserve it.”

“You didn’t deserve it.”

“Right,” Draco spoke as he sipped his cappuccino.

“So tell me about your charity work,” Harry asked, attempting to lighten the mood a bit.

“When I was 18, I pretended to be a Muggle University student and applied for an internship at a non-profit called ‘The Challenge Network.’ It was a community mentor program for teenagers and I worked with them first in the field working with the kids, then in the office where I learned about office work, administration, fund raising, all sorts of things. When it was time for me to leave, I pretended that I was going to take a year off from University and they employed me part-time. It was my first real job.” Draco spoke with great enthusiasm. “I got paid in Muggle money and everything. I opened a bank account; it was fantastic!”

“That’s unbelievable,” Harry said.

“So I worked with them until I was 20, then I couldn’t stay anymore and I had to pretend that I was to return to University. But, I had learned all I could to start my own foundation here in the wizarding world and I talked to my mother who was really keen on it as well. So that’s how we started the ‘Malfoy Foundation’. We helped homeless families find a place and orphaned children find new parents, everything. Then my mother fell ill. We didn’t know what she had and no one at St Mungo’s would cater to her because of me and my father’s past. I had to find a Healer in France and had to take her there to make sure she was taken care of. That’s really when the ‘free clinic without questions’ idea was born. I’ve got supporters from all over Europe, but I want to start it here, on the battlegrounds of the war, in the UK. But no one will take us seriously!” Draco huffed.

Harry smiled. He thought it was cute the way Draco was so passionate and eloquent one moment and then huffed like the spoiled prat he remembered the other. _No, not cute, I mean…_ “How’s your mother now?” Harry asked, distracting himself from his own thoughts.

“She’s doing well. She was bedridden for a year but she’s completely recovered now.” Draco smiled. “Thanks for asking.”

“Anytime,” answered Harry.

“Well, I’ve got to go, I’ve got my eye on another building for the clinic. I need to meet with a strategy team. Buildings aren’t going to save themselves.” Draco stood up to leave the café.

As they walked out and were about to say their goodbyes, Harry came up with a plan. “Draco, I’ve got a proposition for you.”

“Yeah? What’s that?”

“Maybe you need an inside man in the Ministry to figure out what’s going on with the fact that you’re not getting any of these building contracts for your clinic,” Harry said and Draco nodded.

“Okay. Do you have a suggestion to who this inside man should be?”

“Yeah, I was thinking, it could be you,” Harry answered.

“Me?”

“Yeah, I’ve got a position in my office for a secretary. I work as the Head Auror in Law Enforcement and I am the Junior Assistant to the Minister for Magic. My last secretary left on maternity leave, just like the one before and they refuse to return. Maybe if you work for me, you can investigate on your own what sorts of dodgy things are happening behind closed doors.”

“How have you managed to get two positions of power in the Ministry?”

“I am Harry Potter. I asked for it; they put me on probation for a few months and it worked. Now I hold both titles. It also helps that since my divorce...and Ginny with the children. I’ve got a lot of free time on my hands.”

“Oh, yeah, I read about that in the papers,” Draco commented, “especially, your coming out story.”

“So, what do you think?” Harry asked. “Do you want to come and work for me?”

“I don’t know, Potter. I am not sure if it’s a good idea, you and me working together.”

“Listen, Malfoy, I really need an expert. You’re the best, most organised person I have met in three years. That story you told me about learning about administration, then starting your own foundation; now it basically runs itself. Why don’t you learn a new craft? You need this as much as I need you. You know, professionally speaking, of course.” Harry flustered at his words.

“Of course.” Draco nodded. “Okay, let me think it over. I’ll get back to you within a day or two.”

“Fine,” Harry replied with hesitation. “But, I need a favour.”

“What’s that?” Draco asked, raising an eyebrow.

“There’s a Ministry Gala tomorrow night and Susanne, my former secretary, she used to go shopping for me for robes for such things and I don’t even know where to start looking for one. Do you think you can help?”

“You want me to go shopping for you?”

“Or, come with me. Give me a second opinion or something. I can’t do it alone, Malfoy!” Harry was practically begging Draco.

“Alright. Meet me at Madame Élise’s at 7:30 tonight, in Morgana Alley. Can you do that? I can help you shop for some decent robes.”

“Thanks, Malfoy.”

* * *

Harry arrived at ‘Madam Élise’s ten minutes later than Draco had requested. He found a furious Draco waiting outside the shop.

“Potter, where the hell have you been? I don’t have time to wait around for you.” Draco scolded Harry as soon as he arrived at the shop.

“I am sorry. I had to file a report about what I witnessed at the riot today and then I had to find Ron’s secretary to fetch the proper seal and the folder that the report is to be submitted in. My desk is a mess and it takes twice as long for me to do anything without my own secretary.”

“If this is your way of you telling me to come work for you, it’s not working,” Draco retorted.

“It’s not, I am just saying, I really need help!”

“Why don’t you hire Granger?” Draco asked.

“As if, she’ll boss me around! She’ll finish the work in a jiff and find time to criticise all my life choices. No thanks.”

Draco laughed at Harry’s response. They entered the shop and spent over two hours before Harry finally decided on a few elegant robes to buy. One for the gala for the next evening and others to have as backups so he doesn’t need to go last minute shopping again for an important event.

It was nearing ten o’clock when Draco had finally finished helping Harry with all of his shopping. Draco was just about to bid goodnight when Harry stopped him again.

“Malfoy, do you think you’ll want to come with me tomorrow?”

“Where?” Draco asked.

“To the Gala, of course.”

“Why would I want to go?”

“I thought we already discussed this. Maybe you’ll learn something with all the Ministry officials there and perhaps get some people to support your foundation.”

“And what’s in it for you?” Draco asked; he was starting to catch on to Harry’s techniques.

“I hate these things, so I thought maybe if I go with a friend, you know apart from Ron and Hermione, then I’ll have someone to talk to or sometime that’ll talk to all these officials for me.”

“You’re already treating me like your secretary!” Draco protested.

“Well, consider it a test run. See what it’s like to work for me before actually taking on the job.”

Draco thought it over and before he could say anything else, Harry interrupted him.

“7 pm tomorrow night. Come by my place and we can go together. It’s an invitation only event so you’ll need to go with me with the invitation in hand.” Harry smiled and began to walk away. “Okay thanks for all your help today. See you then.”

“But, I don’t know where you live,” Draco yelled.

“I am sure you can find out.” Harry Disapparated before Draco had a chance to say anything else. Although, Harry believed he heard Draco yell “Prat” but he wasn’t too sure.

* * *

The next night Draco arrived at Harry’s place around 6:45 pm. He knocked on the door but received no answer. He twisted the doorknob and it opened easily. He let himself in and yelled for Harry.

“Potter, are you here?”

“Malfoy!” A voice came from the bathroom. “I’ll be right there.”

Harry arrived into his small sitting room a few moments later; he wore dark green velvet robes that were lined with green satin. Draco stood up from the sofa, his eyes surprised to see Harry dressed so admirably. Harry noted that Draco opted not to wear wizarding robes; instead, he wore a Muggle tuxedo with a velvet green handkerchief that matched perfectly well with Harry’s robes.

“Wow, you look…” Harry paused, searching for the right words.

“Right back at you, Potter.” Draco grinned.

“Potter, you told me to meet you at your flat. This is a hotel.” Draco pointed at the suite they were standing in.

“Yeah, so?”

“You live in a hotel?”

“Well, I own the hotel, and yeah, I live here,” Harry answered as he placed his hand in his robe pocket and took out the invitation for the Gala. “Okay are you ready?” Harry asked Draco and he nodded a yes. Harry grabbed Draco’s hand and Apparated them to the party.

The Ministry’s Annual Autumn Gala was held at Château de Saint-Cloud, a hotel in wizarding London inspired with 10th century French architecture. The moment Harry and Draco arrived at the hotel, Harry felt uneasy. Although he was wealthy, he never quite felt very relaxed at such dramatically gaudy events. He looked at Draco and smiled nervously.

“I see why you didn’t wish to come alone, Potter. This is quite the show,” Draco spoke impressed with the ambience of the event and the flashy decorations. Harry figured since Draco had been brought up in such an environment as a child he would have no problems.

A few moments later, they ran into Ron and Hermione who were anxious as well but not as overwhelmed as Harry.

“Harry, you’ve attended several of these events. Why are you always so nervous?” Hermione asked. Harry didn’t respond; he simply shrugged it off.

As the guests kept arriving to the event, everyone was surprised to see Draco, especially at Harry’s side. Eventually, Draco had to tell them that he was taking up employment at the Ministry and that’s why he was attending the event. A plan Harry had deviously thought up and was glad that it was working. Although his apprehension towards attending fancy galas hadn’t reduced, he was glad that Draco was indeed there to ease the discomfort.

As the end of the night neared, Harry was surprised to have realised that he had actually had fun at a Ministry event. He talked to many people with ease because Draco was normally there to start a conversation and somehow always knew the right thing to say. Also, Harry had a few brief conversations with a young bloke that was serving champagne at the event. Harry hadn’t bothered to find out his name, because he knew that in the end it didn’t matter anyway. It had been a while since Harry had had a one-off with someone from the wizarding community. The announcements of his divorce and his sexual orientation were old news now so Harry wondered if there was anything really stopping him. Right as the evening was winding down, Harry pulled Draco to the side.

“Malfoy, so you’ve accepted the job?” Harry asked in a hushed tone, resulting in a confused look from Draco.

“Yes, Potter. What do you need?”

“I might have to sneak out the back door,” Harry pointed towards the service entrance where the young bloke with dark brown hair stood, “so I might need you to keep some people occupied so they don’t notice that I’ve…left”

Draco nodded. “Alright, consider it done. See you Monday.” Draco walked away from Harry and didn’t look back. Harry made his way to the men’s room of the hotel and pulled out his invisibility cloak from his robe and put it around himself. He then exited the hotel through the catering staff’s door and rendezvoused with the waiter he had been flirting with all night. They Apparated back to Harry’s flat. Harry never thought that he would ever be as glad as he was to have employed Draco Malfoy.

* * *

On Monday morning when Harry arrived at his desk Draco was already there.

“What are you doing here?” Harry asked.

“I work here and it’s 8:30,” Draco answered.

“Oh, I didn’t realise you’d be on time. Well, I am glad you’re here. I need your help later.”

“What kind of help?” Draco asked, but Harry didn’t respond. At lunch time, Harry asked Draco to come out with him and they returned to Morgana Alley.

“I need a new mattress. I am afraid I might have ruined the one in my room and I don’t like the ones the hotel’s providing. So I wanted your help.”

“You wish to ask my opinion for a mattress, so you can shag your twinks better?”

“Precisely, I am glad you’re all caught up.”

“What about the paperwork that I need to file in file room for all the past cases you’ve solved?” Draco asked.

“You don’t need to go to the dungeon so early in the morning. You should usually go after 3 pm, that’s when the sun hits the windows the best and it’s not that dark or gloomy.”

“The dungeon?”

“Yeah, that’s what they call the file room,” Harry answered as he hopped from a mattress to another mattress trying to decide on which one can handle the most weight. “I think I like this one,” Harry spoke.

“That was the first one you tried; the one I told you to buy in the first place,” Draco said, aggravated.

“Yeah, but I also wanted his opinion.” Harry pointed at the staff member standing by the till watching Harry and Draco try mattresses.

“Alright, I am going back to the office. Thank you for wasting my lunch break.” Draco answered as Harry was waving at the mattress shop worker.

“Oh, I’ve got a meeting at 3:30 today,” Harry yelled as Draco was about to leave.

“Yeah, I know,” Draco answered.

“I won’t be able to make it.”

“Why?”

“I’ve decided to go on the field today with another Auror on a mission. They’re doing a routine check and I am going to go with them. I’ll need you to cover for me.”

“Okay sure,” Draco responded.

“Oh, and tomorrow, can you bring me a cappuccino from that shop in Westminster? Where I offered you the job. I quite liked the way they made them there.”

“You want me to go to Westminster to fetch you a cappuccino at 8:30 in the morning?”

“Yeah, is that a problem?” Harry asked, looking worried.

“No, it’s fine.”

“Great, see you tomorrow.” Harry spoke as he got off the mattress and decided to approach the shopkeeper he had been making eye contact with.

* * *

For the next several weeks Harry had continued his routine with Draco. Draco would bring him a cappuccino in the morning from the café in Westminster and he’d spend half the day organising Harry’s office and the other half running Harry’s personal errands. In between the errands, Harry would sometimes give Draco a few files of research on abandoned buildings around wizarding London and information on who controlled their potential sales. Draco had as much freedom as he wished to do personal research on the topic while at work, as long as he’d finished all of Harry’s personal errands.

One of the many errands Draco needed to fulfil for Harry also included dealing with his ex-wife. Draco would have to stop by Harry’s former residence and pick up the children and travel via the Floo to the hotel.

After the fifth time Draco dropped the children off back at number 12, Grimmauld Place, Draco returned to the hotel per Harry’s request.

“You are so different with them,” Draco pointed out when he returned and sat on the sofa in Harry’s suite.

“What do you mean?”

“Usually, you’re a brat; you barely work. You have me flying around the city for your own personal agendas and you shag anything with a pulse over the age of 18, or at least I hope they are. And then your children are here and you transform into this different person. You are selfless and compassionate and sympathetic.”

“Don’t sound so surprised,” Harry commented. “I give you all the freedom you need with your research.”

“That’s also true, and I am thankful for that,” Draco answered Harry as he noticed that Harry glanced over at the Muggle clock on the wall. “Expecting someone?”

“Yeah, J...Jasper I think,” Harry answered and Draco laughed. “What? At least I am trying to remember their names now, like you suggested.”

“What’s with that?” Draco asked and Harry looked confused. “A different bloke every other night. Are you afraid you’re behind or something? You must have sex with everyone before it goes out of style?”

“I don’t know. I was married for over 6 years. I’ve got three kids only to realise that I am gay. I am just having fun. Don’t worry, I won’t introduce you to them anymore, if it makes you so upset.”

“It doesn’t make me upset,” Draco stated, “I just feel bad for the poor blokes, at least you only mostly shag Muggles, I’d feel extra bad for the young wizards who think that they’re gaining something special by fucking the great Saviour, turns out they’re only getting fucked.”

“That’s harsh.”

“Alright, so if you won’t be needing me any more of my services, I’ll be off and I’ll see you on Monday morning…”

“With my cappuccino?” Harry asked eagerly.

“Yes, Potter, with your cappuccino.”

* * *

The routine continued for several more weeks. Harry asked Draco how he felt about working in the Ministry and Draco said he was happy. He felt as though he did an excellent job in the office; he enjoyed the work, he learned a lot about Ministry business and office politics, but he also felt as though his potential wasn’t being reached far enough since he’d always get called out of the office on a personal errand.

“But, I need you, Malfoy. You’re the best secretary I’ve ever had.”

“Yes, I know, you keep saying that,” Draco responded. “But, I need a favour.”

“What is it?” Harry asked.

“I’ve got to attend a wedding next week. Pansy is marrying Blaise. So I am going to need this Friday and Monday off.”

“Oh, okay, shouldn’t be a problem, but I need you to get a Muggle mobile phone so I can contact you if there’s an emergency.”

“What kind of emergency are you going to have over the weekend, Potter? I run errands for you every weekend; you’ve never had an emergency!” Draco answered.

“I know but just in case. Will you please get one of those temporary mobile phones?” Harry pleaded.

“Okay fine, I’ll get one tomorrow and give you the number.”

On Saturday just as the bride and the groom were about to say their vows to each other, Draco’s phone rang.

“Bloody hell,” Draco retorted. “Sorry, I’ve got to take this; you all look wonderful by the way.” Draco ran out of the church and picked up his mobile phone.

“I need you here right now; it’s an emergency!” Harry screamed on the phone.

“Okay, where are you?”

“I am at the Royale, in my suite. Just get here.”

Draco rushed back into church to watch the final vows be taken and Disapparated as soon as the Holy Druid announced Pansy and Blaise married for life. He arrived at the front desk of the Royale Hotel where Harry stayed and greeted the staff; they all seemed to have become quite familiar with Draco.

Draco rushed to the fifth floor where Harry’s suite was and entered. He called for Harry and found him in his wardrobe.

“You look nice!” Harry commented towards Draco’s attire.

“Yes, I just arrived from a wedding. What’s the emergency?”

“I’ve got to speak at Hogwarts about the Auror program to seventh years and I can’t decide if I should wear Ministry Robes or a Muggle suit.”

“Please don’t tell me you made me leave my best friends’ wedding to help you pick out an outfit.”

“Why did you leave your best friends’ wedding?” Harry asked, astonished.

“Because I thought you were dying. You said it was an emergency.” Draco was enraged; he threw his mobile across the room. “You can take this thing back.”

“What if I need you for emergencies?” Harry pleaded.

“There are no emergencies with you, Potter. You’ve managed to ruin my lunch dates, my dinner dates, my personal appointments and meetings with my mother. You’ve barged into her personal time at the Salon because you were looking for me. You’ve made everyone in my life frantic.”

“Those were dates?” Harry asked, dumbfounded.

“Yes, Potter. Not all of us make it a spectacle of finding someone to shag.”

“You’re gay?” Harry asked, ignoring Draco’s comment.

Draco sighed. “Again, Potter, something you would have known, like everyone else does if you had managed to get your head out of your own arse.”

“I told you, you can’t insult me like that if you’re going to be working for me,” Harry retaliated, like a child.

“In that case, please consider me off your service.”

“What? You can’t resign!”

“Yes, I can. Please consider this my two weeks’ notice. I wish to resign as your secretary at the Ministry.” Draco spoke with genuine resolve.

“I find you ungrateful,” Harry answered.

“Ungrateful?”

“Yes, ungrateful. I hired you to let you in on the Ministry’s diplomacies and I’ve opened doors for your Foundation that would be otherwise closed to you, and this is how you repay me?”

“Potter, you’ve used me just as much for all your personal schemes as well. What about the times I’ve had to get rid of your twinks because you were afraid they would cry,” Draco responded.

“Please, you yearn for those days, so you can’t make fun of me. Don’t admit that you don’t enjoy it either. You crave insulting people.”

Draco sighed. “That’s not what I crave, I can’t believe you’ve managed to turn me into this!” Draco pointed at himself and the luxury around him at the hotel suite, as he held Harry’s designer suits.

“Don’t blame me; I don’t quite like it either!” Harry retorted.

“What do you mean?”

“Now I can’t make any decision without you. I am addicted; I have to know what you think.” He picked up the elegant robes he was holding and showed them to Draco. “What do you think? Which one?”

“I think you are the most selfish and worthless wizard on the planet.”

“That's just ridiculous. Have you met everyone on the planet?”

“Goodbye, Potter. I’ll see you at work on Monday.”

* * *

On Monday, when Draco arrived at his desk at the Ministry, he had multiple letters from charitable institutes that indicated that were not interested in partnering with the Malfoy Foundation any longer. Some letters further indicated that they received a huge grant from Harry Potter who had requested that in order to get validation from a war-hero that they turn down any association with Draco’s charities.

“You did this.” Draco barged into Harry’s office, holding several letters that he received that morning.

“Did what?” Harry asked innocently.

“You threatened that you’ll take funding away from certain institutes if they partnered with my Foundation,” Draco roared.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’ve made it impossible for me to no longer continue my work if I don’t work for you anymore,” Draco answered.

“I just don’t want you to leave. I told you before your Foundation runs itself and you still oversee it, I don’t understand why you need to walk out on me.”

“Potter, I can’t do this anymore,” Draco repeated himself from Saturday night.

“But we are so good together. We’re like the best team possible. The Minister is so happy with my work and organisation that you provide and I am even making the _Prophet_ happy by being presentable everywhere because you help me find the right robes for each occasion. And my sex life, you are just so great for that, Draco.” Harry paused. “See now you’ve even got me calling you with your proper name. I need you that much.”

“Malfoy is my proper name too,” Draco answered. “Potter, I’ve got an ulcer. I can’t sleep because I think you’re going to Floo me with some ridiculous emergency. When I do sleep, I dream that you’ve send me an owl and there’s an emergency! I think about you in the shower, and not in a good way, in an _I am so distracted, I can’t remember if I washed my hair_ , kind of way. So I wash my hair twice. Now I am constantly running out of shampoo and I am developing a distaste for black coffee because of my ulcer. I can’t live without coffee, Potter!”

“Okay, fine. You can leave when you find me a replacement.”

“You promise?” Draco asked.

“Yes, I promise,” Harry assured him.

Draco smiled. “Okay, I’ll find you the best replacement possible. He or she will be even better than me.”

For the next week Draco must have interviewed what Harry thought were over a hundred wizards and witches to replace him as Harry’s secretary. Every time Draco brought in someone to meet Harry after they passed ‘the Draco test’ Harry would find ways to insult them.

“It’s got to be a bloke. I can’t have another woman secretary.”

“Why?”

“What if they decide to leave too and with blokes at least…”

“You are not going to try to shag your secretary!”

“I didn’t try to shag you,” Harry retorted.

“That’s because you didn’t realise I was gay.”

“That’s true…” Harry thought to himself vocally.

“Potter. Focus.”

“Okay, set up more meetings tomorrow. Make sure it’s all blokes.”

“You know that’s discrimination.”

“It’ll piss off Shacklebolt if it’s a bloke,” Harry answered. “And he’s been raving too much about the quality of my work improving. I wouldn’t mind someone who can keep up with my pace. Someone like you, equally intelligent but, less intense…and argumentative. Like, Cho.”

“Your ex girlfriend, Cho? You don’t deserve Cho.”

“Then maybe someone like Luna.”

“Still too good for you,” Draco retorted.

“How about Padma?”

“If you don’t stop, I’ll find you someone like Moaning Myrtle. Just stay away from Ravenclaws. And they’re all women; they won’t agree to work for you anyhow.”

Harry sighed.

“There’s another function tomorrow night, and we’ll have new recruits from the Ministry Administrative Training...”

“What’s that?” Harry interrupted Draco.

“It’s a training program that Ministry applied a few years ago; honestly, do you not pay attention to any memos?” Draco shook his head. “They hire assistants on a probationary basis and they train them to work with Ministry executives, so we’ll attend the event tomorrow and mingle. I’ve already got a few prospects in mind and we can interview them tomorrow night there. Alright?”

Harry nodded reluctantly. “Do I have to go?”

“Yes, Harry. You have to go.” Draco was exasperated. “I mean Potter.”

Harry smiled; he loved making Draco flustered. “Okay, tomorrow night.”

* * *

Harry arrived at the Ministry event an hour later than Draco had requested him to. When he reached the hall, he noticed that there was a small crowd gathered at the event.

“What’s going on?” Harry asked Draco.

“The recruits are going to get here in ten minutes.”

“I thought you told me the event started at 6:30. It is now 7:30, why aren’t they here yet?”

Draco smirked. “I told you 6:30 because I knew you’d arrive at 7:30 and if you had arrived late then all the good recruits would be gone already. They arrive at 7:45,”

“I feel violated.”

“Because, I know how you function?”

“Whatever, do they serve alcohol here?” Harry asked, rushing towards the bar.

“Only wine and try not to leave with a waiter tonight,” Draco answered, rushing after him.

By 8:30 that evening, Draco had talked to a handful of recruits that were interested in the secretarial position for Harry. Draco introduced them to Harry one after another. After Draco found someone named Justin Carver he took his leave to refill his wine glass.

“Just talk to him, you’ll like him. He smiles obsequiously and will flatter you constantly.”

Harry immediately began flirting with Justin the moment Draco departed; resulting in a chuckle from Draco that Harry could hear steps away.

As Draco waited at the bar, Harry noticed a man in a dark grey Muggle suit approaching Draco. Harry thought he witnessed Draco’s eyes twinkle upon receiving attention from this man. They talked at the bar for a while and the man kept touching Draco’s arm and Draco would shyly smile and look into his drink. Harry had stopped listening to Justin and concentrated on Draco and the grey suit man. Harry didn’t notice that Justin had stopped talking and was simply staring at Harry. Harry looked away from Draco and his company when he thought Draco glanced over towards him.

“I am sorry, you were saying…” Harry asked.

“I wasn’t, actually. I was just admiring your cheekbones,” Justin flirted.

“Well, that’s fantastic,” Harry answered, not really listening to what Justin had just said. “So, Carver, can I call you, Carver?”

“Sure, sir.”

“Do you know who that man is?”

“That’s Nathan Boot.”

“Boot, any relation to Terry Boot?” Harry asked.

“Yeah, he’s Terry’s older brother. He works in Magical Transportation. He was the one responsible for installing the Floo Network in your hotel and almost all wizarding homes in Muggle parts of the country.”

“You know where I live?”

Justin smiled. “Yes, sir, I am a fan and I am interested in the job.”

“What else do you know about Nathan Boot?”

“I know that he’s met up with Mr Malfoy twice last week for lunch in the Ministry cafeteria and they have plans later tonight for drinks.”

“How do you know that?”

“Angela, she’s the second assistant to Mr Boot; she keeps up with his schedules so she told me. She articulated that they met when Mr Malfoy had come in to meet with him about some details on setting up better Magical Transportation systems and protection at one of his shelters. He’d asked Mr Malfoy for coffee, but Mr Malfoy kept cancelling since he was so busy with his job.” Harry glared at Justin as though he had just given him the worst news possible. Justin continued, “They seem to be very interested in each other and pursuing a…” Justin paused. Nathan Boot had just walked away from Draco, and Harry marched over to Draco.

“Is that why you’re resigning? So you can get laid?” Harry accused Draco, his voice louder than he intended.

“Potter, what are you on about now?”

“You and Nathan Boot. You’re very interested in pursuing a relationship and apparently I am in the way.”

“You’re blowing things out of proportion. We are simply friends.”

“Right. Well consider yourself off my service, effective immediately.” Harry rushed away from Draco and returned to Justin. “Are you ready? You’re on my service presently. Let’s go.” Harry walked away and Justin chased after him, leaving Draco dumbfounded.

The next morning, there was a knock on Harry’s hotel room and Harry opened the door. The hotel manager handed a file to Harry. “Mr Malfoy dropped these off for you at the front desk.”

“When?” Harry asked.

“He came in around midnight; he’d said that he stopped by to speak with you but I think he saw someone entering your private lift that he recognised so he said he didn’t want to disturb you.”

“Carver.”

“Your new clerk, yes. He saw Mr Carver and he…just left.”

“There’s nothing happening between me and Carver,” Harry tried to explain to the hotel manager.

“I am not the one you have to convince, sir.” The manager smiled and walked away.

* * *

When Harry arrived at work on Monday, he saw Justin where Draco usually sat. Harry nodded at Justin and walked into his office. Justin came chasing after Harry to hand him his morning cappuccino.

“Mr Potter, it seems that the coffee shop that you supposedly get your morning cappuccino from has been closed for a month.”

“What do you mean?”

“I went to Westminster and the coffee shop you told me about when I got there, there was an ‘out of business’ sign and I asked someone and they said that the business had been closed for a while now.”

Harry listened to Justin and took a sip of his cappuccino. “Where in the bloody hell did you get this from?”

“I bought it off the cart from outside the Ministry. I thought maybe Mr Malfoy bought it from there and told you that it was from Westminster. I ran into Mr Weasley’s secretary and she told me that I was wrong. Apparently, she knew that the coffee shop closed soon after Mr Malfoy had started working here. Apparently, he had bought a cappuccino machine and made you a cup every morning and brought it from his home.”

“Oh,” Harry responded, then he sat on his chair behind his desk. “Okay, that’ll be all. Can you bring the latest case file submitted for me to review?”

“Right away, sir.” Justin turned and dashed out the door.

A few moments later, the Minister summoned Harry into his office.

“Harry, I need to talk to you about the Malfoy Foundation.”

“Okay,” Harry responded.

“So the board has discovered that Malfoy has submitted another proposal to salvage a building for his free clinic, but that proposal is going to be denied as well and we are going to expand St Mungo’s at that location.”

“Why are you not allowing the free clinic to be built?” Harry asked.

“The board at the Ministry and St Mungo’s believe that if charitable foundations created their own hospitals, then it would make the British Ministry look bad as though we are not in control. It is bad press, and it’ll cost us too much effort to compete and they believe that slowly freethinkers like those will try to overthrow the Ministry.”

“You realise that’s ridiculous. No one wants to overthrow the Ministry; they just want to have a free clinic for the underprivileged.”

“You have your orders, Potter; deliver the paperwork to the Foundation for the denial of the request and you are going to the press release with me for an article about St Mungo’s expansion in _the Prophet_. The official announcement will be tomorrow night at the ‘children of the war’ memorial gala.”

_Another gala._

* * *

For the gala, Harry wore one of the ‘backup’ robes he had purchased with Draco; they were dark blue velvet robes with black satin lining. When Justin arrived at the Royale at Harry’s suite, he noticed that Justin didn’t have any subtle matches that Draco always did, whether it be a handkerchief in his tuxedo or a tie. Justin wore maroon coloured robes with gold satin lining; he told Harry that he wanted to support Harry’s house from Hogwarts since this was a memorial for the battle at Hogwarts.

Justin’s obvious effort to impress Harry annoyed him. In the past, he would have loved it and would’ve probably tried to shag Justin before leaving, but Harry missed Draco’s complementing attitude in contradiction of Justin’s complimenting one. This was the first incident of the night when Harry realised that Draco completed him.

When Harry and Justin arrived at the event Justin immediately ran to the bar to fetch Harry a drink. Justin was acting like a lapdog as opposed to his harmonising counterpart. Harry wished he hadn’t let go of Draco so rashly, perhaps Draco would have taught him his ways.

“Potter!” A familiar voice called out to Harry, but it wasn’t the one he had been hoping for. Connor McLaggen walked up to Harry with a smug look. “I heard Malfoy finally dumped you,” he added as he came to a stop in front of him.

Harry laughed. “Hardly. We came to a mutual agreement that he simply could not stand me anymore.”

“Who’s the replacement?”

“Justin Carver, he’s right over there. The best out of all the recruits.”

“Right, so is he any good? I might steal him away.”

“I doubt that, he’s very loyal to me,” Harry answered.

“Let me be the judge of that,” McLaggen retorted.

The loudspeaker screeched over the crowd and the Minister began to speak.

“Alright everyone, we are ready to begin. Thank you everyone who is here with us today; we all continually thank you for all your efforts in supporting and remembering the war heroes of our times. I’ll make this speech short so we can go back to mingling and drinking.” The crowd laughed. “I want to bring my favourite Junior Assistant, and our Head Auror, Mr Harry Potter up on stage.”

Harry began to walk towards the stage; the crowd cheered and from the corner of his eye, he spotted a tall white blond haired man dressed in velvet robes that exhibited Slytherin colours. Harry quickly turned his neck to acknowledge Draco who met his eyes with kindness and smiled softly.

When Harry arrived at the stage the Minister continued speaking, “The British Ministry of Magic is happy to announce that we have heard the public and we are going to open another branch of St Mungo’s! We just secured a location of an old abandoned castle in Wakefield and will be beginning construction. St Mungo’s will be donating a wing to the Malfoy Foundation to feature their free clinic program, where Healers from all over the continent will donate their time to tend to patients, a fantastic program, indeed!” The crowd cheered again, and Harry stared at his feet. He was afraid to look at Draco’s eyes. Harry knew that Draco had secret plans to obtain the abandoned castle for himself and he didn’t know how the Minister or the board found out. He was sure that Draco would be blaming him for it.

After the speech and the cheering were over, Harry was approached immediately by Justin who handed him a Firewhiskey. From the corner of his eye, Harry could see that Draco was approaching them. “Carver, why don’t you get something to eat?” Justin nodded and walked away when he saw Draco approaching.

“So, big news,” Draco commented.

“Yeah.” Harry didn’t know what to say. “We still have thousands of charities and are always providing shelter and support to anyone that needs it.”

“So that justifies lying and stealing my plans,” Draco responded.

“I didn’t steal your plans. I truly don’t know how they found out. It wasn’t in my records anywhere. Maybe they had a spy on you without you knowing,” Harry answered.

“Right, kind of like what you suggested for me to do.” Their conversation was interrupted when Justin returned with a plate of hors d'oeuvres for Harry.

“Here, Potter, I brought you something so you wouldn’t have to wait in line. Oh and they have the little pig in the blankets.” Justin talked to Harry as Draco stared at their interaction. “He’s got these children’s blankets in his room with pigs on them, and when the kids sleep over…”

“Yeah, I know they call them little babies in the pig on the blankets. So now the children won’t eat pigs in a blanket anymore.”

“Yeah it’s been fun, staying at the hotel. It’s been a great help since I’ve been looking for a flat for ages,” Justin added.

“I see you’ve wasted no time…” Draco nodded and began to walk away. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got someone waiting for me. I’ll stop by the office tomorrow to pick up the rest of my personal effects.”

“Draco, wait,” Harry called out but Draco didn’t turn around.

When Draco stopped by the office in the morning, he noticed that most of his items were already placed in a box. He noticed that his ministry coffee mug wasn’t in the box so he looked around Justin’s desk for it. As he was looking Justin came out of Harry’s office.

“Oh, you’re here?” Justin asked.

“Yeah, just looking for my mug.”

“Oh this mug? I thought it was Ministry property.”

“Yeah, I am sort of attached to it, if that’s alright?” Draco asked. “I just feel like I at least deserve to keep my cappuccino mug given I’ve worked twelve hours a day, seven days a week.”

“Wow. Guess that makes you a workaholic,” Justin said.

“No, actually, those are the hours when you work with Harry.”

“Yeah, I understand, I can be a workaholic too, that's why I'm vigilant about separating my personal and professional life,” Justin added.

“Really? That would explain why you stay in the same hotel suite as him. All those late nights, working hard.”

“I am sorry?” Justin asked.

“What?”

“That is absolutely none of your business,” Justin spoke as he removed Draco’s mug from his box.

“What are you doing?” Draco asked as he gestured to grab his mug back.

“You’re ridiculous.”

Harry came out of his office when he heard Justin and Draco screaming at each other as Draco held onto his box of effects and Justin carried a mug in his hand that he refused to let Draco touch it.

“What is going on here?” Harry asked.

“Your boyfriend won’t give me my mug!” Draco retorted.

Justin threw the mug on the floor as it shattered and walked away.

“Listen, Malfoy, I understand you’re upset and perhaps misunderstood some things. I also didn’t really react well when I thought…”

“I am done here,” Draco interrupted him.

“Why won’t you just wait and talk for a moment?” Harry asked.

“Are you going to support the Ministry as they steal another one of my buildings away?” Draco asked.

“It’s not that simple.”

“Okay so we are done.”

“Listen, Draco…”

“You won’t stand against the Ministry?”

“Okay, you came to the hotel after I let you go, and you saw Justin leaving my room in the middle of the night, may I remind you, you used to do the same…”

“I don’t have to listen to this.”

“Where do you come off?” Harry asked.

“Where do you come off? Believe it or not, I didn’t take this job to shag you, like everyone else around you. I actually started working here because I was working for a cause, and you stole that away from me. You couldn’t even keep one promise!”

“I can’t control the Ministry; I can’t control the board of directors at St Mungo’s. I am only one person.”

“Dumbledore was one person,” Draco replied. “Voldemort was only one person and look at how much both of them have accomplished. Maybe it’s time for you to wake up and make a difference again. You can’t keep hiding behind the fact that you had a rubbish childhood and that since you already saved the world, now your actions don’t account for anything anymore. Be the person you can be; stand up for what you believe in! Is this the kind of father you want to become? Someone who just hides behind their job and directives, someone who doesn’t stand for anything anymore?” Draco asked.

“Don’t bring my children into this.”

“Oh, I forgot the only person who can bring your children into any kind of conversation is your ex-wife. She’s going to bleed you dry and you’ll have nothing left.”

“Goodbye, Draco.”

“Have a nice life, Potter.”

* * *

It was 9:30 in the morning and Draco had been gone for a week. Harry hadn't gone shopping, he hadn't eaten out, and he hadn't done any of his normal routine things. Harry waited the last 24 hours in his suite wondering where life was going to take him next. So at 9:30 in the morning, Harry walked into the Malfoy Foundation and approached the receptionist desk.

“Is Malfoy here?”

“I am sorry; Mr Malfoy has requested no visitors,” the receptionist answered, “especially not you, sir.”

“I see. Can you just hand him this? And tell him, I’ll be at my suite.”

“Certainly,” the receptionist answered.

A few hours later Harry heard a knock on his door; when he opened the door, he saw Draco standing there. Draco had gotten his message and arrived at the Royale. He was holding the morning’s _Prophet_.

“What is this?”

“It’s my peace offering,” Harry answered.

“Read it to me,” Draco insisted.

Harry sighed; he opened _the Prophet_. It displayed a picture of a ceremony that was being held in front of the abandoned castle in Wakefield that was going to be the second branch of St Mungo’s.

* * *

_The morning started out quite civil when the Board Director of St Mungo’s and the Minister of Magic made speeches about the worth of our community and how they had united to bring our community together and were going to open their gates to all members of the wizarding society from all walks of life. Things took an interesting turn when Harry James Potter, Head Auror, and formerly known as the Boy Who Lived, came to the platform to make a speech._

_“We are all here today to unite our community and strengthen the bond between us. However, a bond within a community cannot be constructed on lies and deceit. See, I had promised someone that I’d do my best to find them a building to salvage, something they could use to create something beautiful, like a free clinic where you could go in and receive the care you need for yourself or for your loved one without any questions being directed to you about your personal past, only your medical past. We all suffered a lot of losses from the war, and some of us are still recuperating from everything, and everyone we have lost. But even though our side won, we cannot abandon those that were misled and fought for the wrong side. We need to take care of everyone, and come together as a community for everyone, the ones who always fought by our side and the ones who had once lost their way but have returned._

_We are all very pleased and proud to be here; unfortunately, I had promised this building to someone else, someone who had done the research and the legwork to find a place where a free hospital could be built and because of reasons that I don’t understand, that I do not wish to understand the Ministry is devoted on stealing that dream away from this person. Over the past ten years, anyone who’s known me or was married to me knows that my word wouldn’t mean very much, but why does it this time?_

_Partially because we need a place where the lost individuals we promised to serve and protect can be found and can restart their own life. But, mainly because this person, despite being unusually stubborn and unwilling to compromise and very poor at taking compliments, is rather like this cause that he loves so much, a bit exceptional, a little dangerous, but if you look closely, absolutely worth the trouble. And the only one of his kind._

_Even though I acted rashly and said cruel things and pushed him away, he’s become the voice in my head and I can never seem to drown him out. So I am requesting your support to raise your voice, and let them know that what they’re doing is wrong. That this castle needs to be sold to the Foundation that bid first on the property and the ones who do not have a hidden agenda but simply a drive to help. Because I gave my word to him, and also because I, Harry Potter, had sworn to protect the wizarding community not just from the Dark Lord of our past but from any forthcoming dangers we might face so another Dark Lord doesn’t rise and threaten our bond.”_

* * *

Harry finished reading his speech, and Draco was quiet.

“I didn’t shag Justin,” he looked up at Draco, “that wasn’t part of my speech, that’s just me telling you that I haven’t…”

“I just came here to say thanks, thanks for the support. Our office has received enormous amounts of letters in support and donations, and several Healers from St Mungo’s have wrote stating that they’re willing to resign and work at the clinic instead.”

Harry grinned and said, “That’s great news.” He presented his hand to shake Draco’s.

“I am in love with you,” Draco blurted out.

Harry grinned; he was about to take a step closer towards Draco when he said, “I should inform you that I’ve been sacked from the Ministry… and I might have to sell the hotel because I probably will have to start cutting corners.”

“Okay,” Draco answered.

“So, I am poor now. Does that work for you?”

“As long as I don’t have to work for you, I think we will be okay,” Draco responded.

Harry raised his palm towards Draco's cheek as he gently brushed it with the back of his hand. Draco closed his eyes at the sensation and pulled Harry towards him, their lips gently meeting for the very first time. The tension in Harry’s body finally unwound; after being edgy for so many months, the feeling of Draco’s touch relaxed Harry. Harry gently kissed Draco's lower lip. They parted after the small kiss for a moment and Harry spoke, "My kids have missed you too."

"Potter, I really don't wish to talk about your children at the present moment."

"This is why I love you, Draco; you always know the right time to say the right thing." Harry grinned as he pulled Draco towards him more and they crashed on the bed.

Harry lay on his back as Draco crashed on top of him. Lips refusing to part and tongues welcoming the other as if they had been long lost friends. Harry slowly moved his lips from Draco’s mouth to his cheeks, down his neck, until it became completely imperative for him to remove Draco’s shirt. It was as if Draco had read Harry’s mind; he lifted his arms slowly to allow Harry to pull off his shirt and Draco did the same for Harry’s. Their bodies pressed against each other’s, desperately trying to not lose any touch, wanting to feel the other person’s skin as much as possible, thriving on the heat.

“I need you so much, Draco,” Harry whispered as he reached up to grab Draco’s lower back and flipped him on the bed. Draco laughed at Harry’s swift move.

Harry slowly began to unbutton Draco’s trousers as Draco still refused for their lips to part. Draco’s hands ran through Harry’s hair, tugging him, pulling him into his mouth more with desperation. Wet sloppy kisses only becoming intense by Draco’s sucking on Harry’s lower lip. After Harry unbuttoned Draco’s trousers, he let go of them and began to unbuckle his belt. Draco quickly moved his hands onto his trousers in an attempt to remove them. As Draco discarded his clothing, his hands touched Harry’s. He patted away Harry’s hands from his trousers and took over. Slowly unbuttoning and unzipping as he placed small wet kisses on Harry’s stomach.

Harry shot his head back and moaned with the pleasure of feeling Draco’s lips so close to his groin. Draco slowly pulled down Harry’s trousers and pants down to his knees, Harry’s erect cock staring him right in face, he smiled. He looked up to meet Harry’s gaze and quickly licked the head of Harry’s cock.

Harry grabbed Draco’s hair with his right hand and pulled him up for a kiss; he then instructed Draco again in a whisper, “Lie back.” Draco obeyed.

Harry finally discarded all of his clothes and stood on his knees facing Draco. Harry quickly grabbed his wand and casted an inaudible spell that wetted his hands with a liquid that he gently massaged on Draco’s entrance. Draco whimpered at Harry’s touch, his finger slowly teasing Draco’s opening. Harry lifted Draco's right leg and rested it on his shoulder. He carefully inserted his index finger inside Draco and Draco moaned with pleasure. Only a few moments later, Draco was begging for another. After Harry had inserted three fingers, Harry leaned in to kiss Draco again.

Harry asked, “Are you ready?” Draco nodded unable to construct a sentence that didn’t start with a moan and didn’t require effort. Harry leisurely removed his fingers from inside Draco, one at a time, and pressed into him. He moved gently; everything about this instance was calm, delicate, and soothing. Harry felt as though his need for Draco was so much more emotional than physical. The physical release was making everything exceptionally amazing.

“Faster,” Draco begged, and Harry smiled. He was happy to oblige.

Harry’s pace picked up and his thrusts were harsher. He was unsure for the first few moments but he saw Draco’s face light up with pleasure. Harry continued thrusting into Draco with force.

“More?” Harry asked.

“Yeah.”

“Again?”

“Yes, please!”

Harry didn’t know how long they moved together until the last thrust which drove Draco to clench tightly around Harry’s cock had caused him to come undone. He moaned the last few seconds as he thrust harder filling Draco. Harry pulled out of Draco and kissed him with vivaciously for a few seconds before diving down onto Draco’s cock and giving it his full attention. It didn’t take Draco very long to come into Harry’s mouth as he moaned incoherent words that were mostly reassuring.

Harry collapsed on the bed next to Draco panting, gasping for air. Draco chuckled and grabbed his wand from the floor and spelled the sheets clean.

“What are you laughing about?” Harry asked.

“I thought you had practice. I didn’t think you’d get so winded so fast.”

“Fuck you,” Harry answered, still breathing heavily, “none of my shags have been this bloody fantastic. If I had known that you were so good in the sack, I would have tried to shag you from day one.”

“And miss all the fun, the longing?” Draco teased.

After ordering take out and re-creating their first time from a few hours before, except this time Harry took Draco from behind on the sofa as he begged for more, the two unemployed war veterans finally fell asleep.

It was 6 am and the Beatles played on the alarm clock on the other side of the room. Harry woke up startled as Draco cuddled on his left and whispered, “What in the bloody hell is that?”

Harry raised his wand and shouted, “ _Confringo_!” The alarm clock exploded in flames and the room was quiet again. “I bloody hate that thing,” Harry spoke as he cuddled Draco back and kissed the top of his head.

He didn’t need to get anywhere and his shag from the night before was welcomed to stay for as long as he wished.

* * *

**End**


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